I haven't mentioned the Japanese situation. Deliberately, since stories about tsunami,earthquakes and risks of radiation have followed up at increasing speed and in a crescendo of tragedy levels.

But how do people live in Tokyo in these days?

Since the day I came back form the forced Australian vacation, I'd say that little has changed. We've archived for the moment the risk of radiations in the air, and just the frequent aftershocks perturb daily routines. But I won't be worried so much, as Japan has always been a highly seismic region and in these four years I've felt many quakes.

Also panic in people's mind is lowering and so even goods at supermarkets are not disappearing quickly (perhaps the restrictions to buy just one piece of each item are helping), so shelves at the shops are again fully loaded. Almost loaded.

Then, the so much feared black outs: limited to my area, we didn't have any. Everyone is making an effort to maintain energy use low, and I'd say that besides some weird cases the initiative is going well and without so many inconveniences. Yes, some trains and metro runs have been canceled, but it's about runs not in rush hours or about redundant runs (I mean, if two lines have more or less the same route, some optimization is done there).

The two more striking signs of energy savings are The Tokyo tower lights and the maxi screens in Shibuya off. Shibuya, let me tell you, is not so impressive without them.

The rest is the same: people go to work, go out for dinner, maybe not till too late like before, for many restaurants -and businesses- reduced the working hours, weekend at the park to see the cherry blossom, dancing….

This time Tokyo made it, we were lucky with the winds and the sea currents, the weather was mild and people's attitude great.

We are not yet out of danger, the nuclear plant is still a risk because of the many aftershocks that make the workers evacuate for safety reasons, because of the Japanese bureaucratic machine, because of the lack of emergency measures, because of their pride. Above all. In these days I have like the impression that the Japanese really want to do by themselves, as to shown that they will manage to stand up again without external help. Or perhaps it may be that their own pride wants them not to ask for help…

Well, whatever it is, thanks to or because of them, the situation at Fukushima is stable since last month or so. Which is good news. But it could have been much better, since earlier times.